Human-powered vehicle suitable for compact storage

Abstract

A structure of a human-powered vehicle including at least one coupling kit having a fastening zone and a complementary fastening zone. The fastening zone being configured to be coupled to the complementary fastening zone presented by a second similar vehicle or by a fixed terminal. A vehicle and/or terminal including at least one coupling kit of the structure. A method of recharging battery of such vehicle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A structure of a human-powered vehicle, comprising at least one coupling kit comprising a fastening zone and a complementary fastening zone, the fastening zone being configured to be directly coupled to a complementary fastening zone presented by a similar vehicle, wherein the fastening zone and the complementary fastening zone of a same coupling kit are positioned laterally in a plane perpendicular to a main axis of movement of the human-powered vehicle, on opposite sides of the human-powered vehicle. 
     
     
       2. The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening zone and the complementary fastening zone of a same coupling kit are positioned laterally, on opposite sides of the human-powered vehicle, and offset by a predetermined distance about a main axis of movement of the human-powered vehicle. 
     
     
       3. The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the fastening zone and the complementary fastening zone of a same coupling kit is less than a size of the human-powered vehicle. 
     
     
       4. The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the complementary fastening zone comprises at least one permanent magnet engaging with at least one metal element presented by a fastening zone of the similar vehicle. 
     
     
       5. The structure according to  claim 4 , wherein said each complementary fastening zone further comprises an electromagnet configured to produce a magnetic field opposite a magnetic field of said at least one permanent magnet. 
     
     
       6. The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening zone comprises a male element configured to be coupled with a female element presented by the complementary fastening zone of the similar vehicle. 
     
     
       7. The structure according to  claim 6 , wherein the female element comprises an oblong-shaped recess, wherein a length of the oblong-shaped recess is oriented perpendicularly to a main axis of movement of the human-powered vehicle. 
     
     
       8. The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the fastening zone and the complementary fastening zones comprises a complementary electrical connector, the complementary electrical connectors being configured to electrically connect the human-powered vehicle with the similar vehicle. 
     
     
       9. The structure according to  claim 1 , further comprising a communication device configured to communicate an identification of the human-powered vehicle to the similar vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The structure according to  claim 9 , wherein each complementary fastening zone comprises a near field communication (NFC) tag; and wherein the fastening zone comprises an NFC reader configured to read an NFC tag of the similar vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The structure according to  claim 1  is a frame of a bicycle. 
     
     
       12. A vehicle comprising the structure according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       13. The vehicle according to  claim 12 , comprising a wireless communication device configured to communicate with the similar vehicle, a terminal or a remote server. 
     
     
       14. The vehicle according to  claim 12  is a bicycle. 
     
     
       15. A terminal comprising a complementary fastening zone configured to couple to the fastening zone of the vehicle according to  claim 12 . 
     
     
       16. The terminal according to  claim 15 , wherein the complementary fastening zone of the terminal comprises an electrical connector configured to electrically supply the vehicle coupled to the terminal; and wherein each of the fastening zone and the complementary fastening zone of the structure comprises a complementary electrical connector, each complementary electrical connector of the vehicle being configured to electrically connect the vehicle with the terminal. 
     
     
       17. A method for recharging batteries of all or some of a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle comprising a structure of a human-powered vehicle, the structure comprising at least one coupling kit comprising a fastening zone and a complementary fastening zone, the fastening zone being configured to be coupled to a complementary fastening zone presented by a similar vehicle or by a terminal, said each vehicle comprising a microcontroller, a pedal-assist device and a battery configured to power the pedal-assist device, the vehicles coupled to one another being called a stock, the stock being coupled to a terminal connected to an electrical supply, the terminal comprising the complementary fastening zone configured to couple to the fastening zone of the vehicles, the method comprising:
 determining a master microcontroller from among the microcontrollers of the coupled vehicles of the stock; 
 communicating to a master module, a list of the coupled vehicles of the stock and a status of the battery of each coupled vehicle of the stock; 
 selecting at least one battery from the stock to be charged; 
 communicating by the master module, a command to the microcontroller of each coupled vehicle of the stock to connect said at least one battery selected to be charged to a charge circuit connected to the electrical supply and disconnect all non-selected batteries of the stock; 
 recharging said at least one battery selected to be charged; and 
 wherein a number of said at least one battery selected to be charged is restricted to a predetermined number, said at least one battery selected to be charged having a charge level less than a predetermined threshold and from among the batteries of the coupled vehicles connected at a predetermined distance from a free end of the stock, the free end being distal from the terminal. 
 
     
     
       18. A method for recharging batteries of all or some of a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle comprising a structure of a human-powered vehicle, the structure comprising at least one coupling kit comprising a fastening zone and a complementary fastening zone, the fastening zone being configured to be coupled to a complementary fastening zone presented by a similar vehicle or by a terminal, said each vehicle comprising a microcontroller, a pedal-assist device and a battery configured to power the pedal-assist device, the vehicles coupled to one another being called a stock, the stock being coupled to a terminal connected to an electrical supply, the terminal comprising a microcontroller and the complementary fastening zone configured to couple to the fastening zone of the vehicles, the method comprising:
 communicating to a master module, a list of the coupled vehicles of the stock and a status of the battery of each coupled vehicle of the stock; 
 selecting at least one battery from the stock to be charged; 
 determining a master microcontroller from among the microcontrollers of the coupled vehicles of the stock or the microcontroller of the terminal; 
 communicating by the master module, a command to the microcontroller of each coupled vehicle of the stock to connect said at least one battery selected to be charged to a charge circuit connected to the electrical supply and disconnect all non-selected batteries of the stock; and 
 recharging said at least one battery selected to be charged.